Crash death couple were not present at burglary
THE teenage couple who died in a crash on the A40 “were not present” at a burglary which sparked a police chase.
Pregnant Shauna McDonagh, 18, and Patrick McDonagh, 19, were declared dead at the scene in Acton on February 10 when the Renault they were travelling in crashed into a coach.
It had been thought they were potential suspects in an aggravated burglary in Pinner because police were chasing the Renault.
But the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has said the occupants of the Renault “were not present” at the break-in.
Why the police were chasing the Renault will now be independently investigated, the IOPC added.
The spokesman continued: “The IOPC investigation will examine the information the police had and the rationale for the pursuit.”
The IOPC also revealed:
■ Police chased the couple’s vehicle, a Renault Scenic, for 10 minutes
■ The pursuit was ‘terminated’ before the crash – when the Scenic crossed to the wrong side of the A4 ■ A police helicopter was monitoring the chase
■ A ‘large number’ of people on the coach the Renault crashed into were checked by paramedics and two were taken to hospital with minor injuries
The Met Police told My London on Thursday that there were no new updates regarding the burglary.
Four men were said to have broken into a home in Pinner, armed with a knife, and allegedly made threats to kill while searching for valuables, according to witnesses. The IOPC published the following statement on February 14:
“An investigation has been launched after a man and a woman driving on the wrong side of the road, following a police pursuit, died in a head-on collision with a coach.
“The crash took place on the A40 in East Acton, west London at about 9pm Sunday February 10.
“Shauna McDonagh aged 18 who was pregnant and Patrick McDonagh, aged 19, were pronounced dead at the scene.
“A second man who was travelling in the car was taken to hospital. A large number of people travelling on the coach were checked by paramedics at the scene with two taken to hospital with minor injuries.
“It is understood that police were pursuing the car, a Renault Scenic, for about 10 minutes but terminated the pursuit prior to the crash. A National Police Air Service helicopter was monitoring the progress of the Renault when it crashed.
“It has now been confirmed, as part of a separate police investigation, that the occupants of the Renault were not present at the time of an aggravated burglary reported to have taken place in Harrow. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation will examine the information the police had and the rationale for the pursuit.
“We have made contact with their next of kin to explain our involvement and will be keeping them updated about our investigation.”
IOPC regional director Jonathan Green said: “My thoughts are with the families and friends of Patrick and Shauna, those injured and all those affected by this incident.
“It is important that we now establish all of the circumstances surrounding this collision.
“We have therefore launched an independent investigation into the events leading to the collision and immediately deployed our investigators to attend the scene and the post incident procedure.”